SOME BASIC MEDICAL PROBLEMS ILLUSTRATED BY EXPERIMENTS WITH CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS

Click on the link to view

Ecology of the non-native snail Sinotaia cf quadrata (Caenogastropoda: Viviparidae). A study in a lowland stream of South America with different water qualities

Sinotaia quadrata is a snail native from Asia recorded for the first time in South America in 2009 in central Argentina. In 2015, this species was also found in a lowland stream with different water qualities. Our aims were to contribute to the knowledge of its population ecology and to compare the individuals from the two locations anatomically. Snails were searched at 6 sites, where physicochemical and hydraulic parameters were measured. Biological samples were also taken at two sites (S3 and S4) to study the population traits of S. cf quadrata (density, size structure, fecundity and sex ratio) and to assess the water quality through macroinvertebrates' biological indices (richness, diversity and IBPamp). Physicochemical and biological parameters allowed us classifying sites as "moderately polluted" (S3) and "heavily polluted" (S4). At S4, the population showed a lower density, larger individuals, higher fecundity and a scarce representation of young snails. The differences observed in the radula and mantle border of snails from the two geographical regions might be attributed to environmental differences. We conclude that this species is tolerant to a wide range of environmental variables which, along with its high fecundity and morphological plasticity, could allow this species to colonize neighbor streams.Fil: Ferreira, Ana Clara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Paz, Laura Estefania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Rumi Macchi Z., Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Ocon, Carolina Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Altieri, Paula Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Rodrigues Capitulo, Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; Argentin

Group Leaders Optimization Algorithm

We present a new global optimization algorithm in which the influence of the leaders in social groups is used as an inspiration for the evolutionary technique which is designed into a group architecture. To demonstrate the efficiency of the method, a standard suite of single and multidimensional optimization functions along with the energies and the geometric structures of Lennard-Jones clusters are given as well as the application of the algorithm on quantum circuit design problems. We show that as an improvement over previous methods, the algorithm scales as N^2.5 for the Lennard-Jones clusters of N-particles. In addition, an efficient circuit design is shown for two qubit Grover search algorithm which is a quantum algorithm providing quadratic speed-up over the classical counterpart

Geostatistical analysis of surface microtopography on tilled soil surfaces

[Abstract] Depressions at the soil surface influence temporal water storage and hence runoff generation. Surface microtopography of tilled soils is subject to spatial and temporal changes. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether elevation data with different resolutions have a comparable patters of spatial dependence. Point elevation measurements were taken on 25 tilled soil surfaces after mouldboard plough across a range of cumulative precipitation and roughness. Height was measured with a pinmeter. The grid spacing of the experimental surfaces was 2 cm and sample density was diminished by leaning point out to obtain 4 cm x 4 cm and 6 cm x 2 cm grids. The spatial structure of the studied surfaces was modelled by spherical and exponential semivariograms with no o very small nugget components. Changing sample grid spacing didn’t influence the adjusted semivariogram type, but could originate small modifications of the sill and/or range values

Algorithmic Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Termination Problems for Affine Probabilistic Programs

In this paper, we consider termination of probabilistic programs with real-valued variables. The questions concerned are: 1. qualitative ones that ask (i) whether the program terminates with probability 1 (almost-sure termination) and (ii) whether the expected termination time is finite (finite termination); 2. quantitative ones that ask (i) to approximate the expected termination time (expectation problem) and (ii) to compute a bound B such that the probability to terminate after B steps decreases exponentially (concentration problem). To solve these questions, we utilize the notion of ranking supermartingales which is a powerful approach for proving termination of probabilistic programs. In detail, we focus on algorithmic synthesis of linear ranking-supermartingales over affine probabilistic programs (APP's) with both angelic and demonic non-determinism. An important subclass of APP's is LRAPP which is defined as the class of all APP's over which a linear ranking-supermartingale exists. Our main contributions are as follows. Firstly, we show that the membership problem of LRAPP (i) can be decided in polynomial time for APP's with at most demonic non-determinism, and (ii) is NP-hard and in PSPACE for APP's with angelic non-determinism; moreover, the NP-hardness result holds already for APP's without probability and demonic non-determinism. Secondly, we show that the concentration problem over LRAPP can be solved in the same complexity as for the membership problem of LRAPP. Finally, we show that the expectation problem over LRAPP can be solved in 2EXPTIME and is PSPACE-hard even for APP's without probability and non-determinism (i.e., deterministic programs). Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach to answer the qualitative and quantitative questions over APP's with at most demonic non-determinism.Comment: 24 pages, full version to the conference paper on POPL 201

Prioritized Sweeping Neural DynaQ with Multiple Predecessors, and Hippocampal Replays

During sleep and awake rest, the hippocampus replays sequences of place cells that have been activated during prior experiences. These have been interpreted as a memory consolidation process, but recent results suggest a possible interpretation in terms of reinforcement learning. The Dyna reinforcement learning algorithms use off-line replays to improve learning. Under limited replay budget, a prioritized sweeping approach, which requires a model of the transitions to the predecessors, can be used to improve performance. We investigate whether such algorithms can explain the experimentally observed replays. We propose a neural network version of prioritized sweeping Q-learning, for which we developed a growing multiple expert algorithm, able to cope with multiple predecessors. The resulting architecture is able to improve the learning of simulated agents confronted to a navigation task. We predict that, in animals, learning the world model should occur during rest periods, and that the corresponding replays should be shuffled.Comment: Living Machines 2018 (Paris, France

CSIC High Specialization Course on Cultural Heritage Intervention Models: Research, Protection, Conservation and Valorization: A training Experience from a complex research programme.

Comunicación presentada en la 18th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists, celebrada en Helsinki del 29 de agosto al 1 de septiembre de 2012.In late 2007 the then called Ministry of Education and Science funded the Research Program on Technologies for the Conservation and Valorization of Cultural Heritage (TCP) within the CONSOLIDER -INGENIO 2010 call. In it 16 research groups take part, from the CSIC and 4 Spanish universities, articulating traditionally distant disciplines directly involved with Cultural Heritage. The base for working is the culture of cooperation and collaboration between groups in an interdisciplinary way. TCP was the only funded proposal of the call that focused on the study of Cultural Heritage. One of the main objectives of the project included training, so after valorizing different options, it was finally decided to opt for a CSIC High Specialization Course model. The aim was to create a postgraduate training strategy for preparing, in a truly specialized way, professionals with technical or scientific profile, who can become the best professionals working on cultural heritage. This course was an alternative possibility, different from formal university education. It also benefited from greater freedom in designing the course, choosing the participating teachers, and establishing the relationship between practical and theoretical aspects. This goal lies at the very foundations of the Consolider call and more specifically, also within TCP: strengthen and highlight the link between the interdisciplinary research, the professional practice and the social visibility of research through training, dissemination and knowledge transfer.Peer Reviewe

Estilo de vida asociado al control de hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus en un centro de atención en Lima, durante la pandemia de COVID-19: The lifestyle associated with the control of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus in a care center in Lima, during the covid-19 pandemic

Introduction: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus 2 are prevalent diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lifestyle and disease control, potentially triggering serious complications. Objectives: To determine the association between lifestyle and the control of chronic non-communicable diseases: arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients of an Urgent Care Center. Materials and methods: Observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study. A sample of 158 patients, between 30 and 79 years old, was included. Control files and medical records were analyzed, anthropometric values ​​were measured, and lifestyle was evaluated through surveys. Results: 51.3% were male, an average of 61 years, 57.6% with married marital status, and 51.9% with higher educational level. In the multivariate analysis of patients with arterial hypertension, a significant association between the lack of control of the hypertensive disease and an unhealthy lifestyle is evidenced (PR = 2.538; p = 0.000; 95% CI = 1.608-4.006). On the other hand, the diabetic population obtained a significant association between the lack of control of type 2 diabetes mellitus with an unhealthy lifestyle (PR = 5.498; p = 0.013; 95% CI = 1.440-20.995), in addition to the prevalence of glycemic lack of control in patients with abnormal abdominal girth it was 1.6 times more than in people with normal abdominal girth (PR = 2.623; p = 0.038; 95% CI = 1.057-6.508). Conclusions: Lifestyle is significantly associated with the control of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. There is a significant association between abdominal circumference and control of type 2 diabetes mellitus.Introducción: La hipertensión arterial y la diabetes mellitus 2 son enfermedades prevalentes. La pandemia por COVID-19, ha cambiado el estilo vida y el control de enfermedades, pudiendo desencadenar serias complicaciones. Objetivos: Determinar la asociación entre el estilo de vida y el control de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles: hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en pacientes de un Centro de Atención de Urgencias. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de tipo observacional, transversal y analítico. Se incluyó una muestra de 158 pacientes, entre 30 y 79 años. Se analizó las fichas de control e historias clínicas, se midieron los valores antropométricos y se evaluó el estilo de vida mediante encuestas. Resultados: El 51,3% fue de sexo masculino, una media de 61 años, 57,6% con estado civil casado y 51,9% con nivel educacional superior. En el análisis multivariado de los pacientes con hipertensión arterial se evidencia una asociación significativa entre el no control de la enfermedad hipertensiva y el estilo de vida no saludable (RP=2,538; p=0,000; IC95%=1,608-4,006). Por otro lado, la población diabética obtuvo una asociación significativa entre el no control de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 con estilo de vida no saludable (RP=5,498; p=0,013; IC95%=1,440-20,995), además la prevalencia de descontrol glucémico en pacientes con perímetro abdominal patológico fue 1,6 veces más que en las personas con perímetro abdominal normal (RP=2,623; p=0,038; IC95%=1,057-6,508). Conclusiones: El estilo de vida está asociado significativamente con el control de la hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus. Existe asociación significativa entre el perímetro abdominal y el control de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2

Mesoscopic rings with Spin-Orbit interactions

A didactic description of charge and spin equilibrium currents on mesoscopic rings in the presence of Spin-Orbit interaction is presented. Emphasis is made on the non trivial construction of the correct Hamiltonian in polar coordinates, the calculation of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions and the symmetries of the ground state properties. Spin currents are derived following an intuitive definition and then a more thorough derivation is built upon the canonical Lagrangian formulation that emphasizes the SU(2) gauge structure of the transport problem of spin 1/2 fermions in spin-orbit active media. The quantization conditions that follow from the constraint of single-valued Pauli spinors are also discussed. The targeted students are those of a graduate Condensed Matter Physics course

Modulated Entanglement Evolution Via Correlated Noises

We study entanglement dynamics in the presence of correlated environmental noises. Specifically, we investigate the quantum entanglement dynamics of two spins in the presence of correlated classical white noises, deriving Markov master equation and obtaining explicit solutions for several interesting classes of initial states including Bell states and X form density matrices. We show how entanglement can be enhanced or reduced by the correlation between the two participating noises.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Quantum Information Processing, special issue on Quantum Decoherence and Entanglemen